Adjustable closet rod



Dec. 28, 1954 H. SIMPSON ADJUSTABLE CLOSET ROD Filed Jail. 14, 1952 IN VEN TOR. Herberf Simpson forn ex United States Patent ADJUSTABLE CLOSET ROD Herbert Simpson, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application January 14, 1952, Serial No. 266,290

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-1053) This invention relates to a closet rod on which garment hangers or the like may be hung, said closet rod being of an exceptionally novel and practical structure adapted to fit closets of widely varying widths, substantially instantly adjustable for any width of a closet within the range of adjustment of said rod, and which is firmly secured in place substantially instantaneously without the use of tools; and as readily removed without tools.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a closet rod fixture of the type and character noted which is economically manufactured, may be substantially instantly installed by anyone, no skilled operator or one who is able to handle tools being required, the rod being located at any selected position in the closet between the front and back thereof, all combining to make the novel rod structure of my invention exceptionally useful and also quickly removable and replaceable in a different closet when wanted, the rod structure being sturdy and durable in use.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is an elevation showing the closet rod structure as it is being installed in place.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar view, but with the rod structure for the greater portion of its length shown in central longitudinal vertical section, after it has been installed in place, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sections, substantially on the planes of lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

ln the usual closet, at opposite sides thereof and below its top, horizontal side bars are nailed or otherwisesecured in place spaced from each other the wldth of the closet. Such bars are indicated fragmentarily at 1 in the Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

The closet garment supporting rod structure includes two telescoping tubes 2 and 3. The tube 3 is shown of an exterior diameter substantially equal to the interior diameter of the rod 2, for telescoping reception therein. The tube 3 at its outer end, preferably is enlarged for a short distance, as indicated at 3a, to have the same exterior diameter as the tube 2. Such tube 3, the length thereof, is longitudinally slotted at its lower side providing a continuous slot 4 as shown.

At the outer end of each of the tubes 2 and 3 a shallow cup-like cap 5 of sheet metal is secured closing the outer ends of the tube. Such closure caps may be brazed, soldered or otherwise equivalently secured in place. Connected with each of the outer end closure caps 5 are brackets made from flat, resilient or spring metal. Each bracket at its upper end has a horizontal section 6 adapted to come against the upper edges of the spaced closet supporting bars 1. From each section 6 the metal extends vertically downward at the inner sides of sa1 d closet bars 1, for a short distance. From such vertical sections integral sections 7 extend at an acute angle to tl 1e vertical, extending downwardly and inwardly and oin with other sections of approximately the same length, indicated at 8, which form their junctures at 9 with the sections 7 extending downwardly and outwardly. At the lower edges of the sections 8 terminal sections extend downwardly and inwardly in planes substantially parallel to the planes of the sections 7, the bending lines between the sections 8 and 10 being shown at 9a.

2,698,094 Patented Dec. 28, 1954 From the terminal sections 10, flat tongues 11 are struck and bent upwardly to lie in horizontal planes, passing through slots in the end closure caps 5, the connection of the tongues 11 at'their outer ends being substantially at the bending lines 9a of the described brackets. A coiled compression spring 12 of light strength is located around each tongue 11. The springs at their outer ends bear against the bottoms of the caps 5 and at their inner ends may be secured to the tongues 11 as shown in Fig. 3. The springs being under compression act, when the rod is free from its closet bar supports 1, to swing the brackets at their upper ends outwardly about fulcrum points 9, the lower portions of the caps 5 partially entering the openings which are left in the sections 10 when the tongues 11 are struck therefrom.

The larger tubular member 2, at its inner end, has a short slot 211 at its lower side directly below and in conjunction with the slot 4 of the smaller tube 3. It also has an opening 212 at its lower side spaced from the slot 2a, which is also in conjunction with the slot 4. A latch or locking member is associated with the tubes to normally hold the tubes from telescoping when moved to a position, to shorten the overall length of the two tubular members, but which freely permits said rod to be extended.

Such latch, best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, includes an intermediate bar portion 13, somewhat widened for thumb engagement therewith horizontally located below the tubes, at one end having an upturned end portion 14 which passes through the opening 2b and the slot 4. At the other end of the horizontal portion 13 is a bar section 15, bent to extend upwardly at an acute angle to the vertical, passing through the slots 2a and 4. Within the smaller diameter tube 3 a widened head 16 is provided integral with the section 15. The shape of the head, as shown in Fig. 4, is such that when the head is swung generally clockwise bringing the upper round corner portion of the head against the tube 3, it grips or binds against the inner side of the tube 3 preventing a shortening of the composite rod made of the two tubular sections because of such holding grip. By pressing upwardly upon the horizontal section 13 the head will be swung generally counter-clockwise to eliminate such gripping bind, and the two part tubular rod may be shortened in length.

A relatively long wire spring 17, at its free end having a bearing against the inner side of'the tube 3, at its opposite end 18 is securely connected to the head 16. Such spring under tension and strain tends to move the head in a clockwise direction and maintain the gripping engagement of the head with the inner side of the tube.

In the installation of the closet rod of my invention, the composite tubular rod may be elongated manually by force applied to the two sections 2 and 3, and by use of the manually operable latch mechanism described, the rod may be reduced in length, if too great, until the overall length of the tube excepting the brackets is approximately the horizontal distance between the bars 1, as in Fig. 1. When the tubular composite rod is placed above the bars 1 and brought downwardly toward them, it does not freely pass between them, but will require forcing down at both ends to bring the bending lines 9a against the inner sides of the closet bars 1. This causes the bending lines 9 between the sections 7 and 8 to be forced heavily against the outer ends of the caps 5, causing a pick-up of mechanical slack in the locking mechanism and a straining and flattening of the metal of the sections 7 and 8, and a development of a force pressing the brackets against the closet bars 1 and also said brackets against the ends of the rod at the end caps 5 thereon. As shown in Fig. l, the force may be increased, depending upon the distance between the side supports 1, and the adjusted length of the rod, heavier clamping or holding force being produced in the dash line position in Fig. 1. Such pressure or force will not telescopically shorten the overall length of the closet rod because the head 16, in its normal position, resists any shortening movement. Therefore, the closet rod is securely held and gripped between the inner sides of the two spaced apart bars 1.

This provides a firm, practical securing of the closet rod at any selected position between the front and rear of the closet in the length of the closet side bars 1. Such 3 closet rod may be removed by forcing the rod upwardly at its ends either with or Without the release of the holding latch or lock by an upward pressure against the horizontal portion 13 thereof.

The structure described is very effective and useful for the purposes for which it is designed, and secures all of the beneficial effects recited with respect thereto.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. An elongated tubular rod, a closure cap secured at each end thereof, a sheet metal bracket, one at each end of therod at the outer sides of said caps, each bracket having a horizontal ledge at its upper end and an integral, downwardly extending body portion comprising, a plurality of successive integrally connected sections, said sections in succession being located in planes at obtuse angles to each other, and one of said sections having an integral horizontal tongue extending through the adjacent end cap, and means for loosely securing each of said tongues to its adjacent cap.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, said tongue securing means comprising, a coiled compression spring around each tongue bearing at one end against the inner side of the adjacent cap, and connected with said tongue at its 4 outer end, adapted to move said tongue inwardly to draw the body of the associated bracket toward the outer side of its associated cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,303 Christensen Nov. 20, 1906 1,002,063 Jasper Aug. 29, 1911 1,266,336 Smith May 14, 1918 1,299,556 Crecelius Apr. 8, 1919 1,447,519 Schade Mar. 6, 1923 1,756,716 Whitney Apr. 29, 1930 1,763,034 Bunker June 10, 1930 1,764,931 Carlson June 17, 1930 2,031,460 Chabless Feb. 18, 1936 2,143,177 Whyte Jan. 10, 1939 2,490,612 Ballard Dec. 6, 1949 2,542,964 Koett et al. Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 87,701 Germany July 16, 1896 96,730 Germany Apr. 23, 1898 

